Even on its original 1996 release, Maui Mallard was a weird one. I never thought there'd be any contemporary opportunity to write about it, but they've provided one and I'm going to take full advantage of it. Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow has been released on Steam and GoG, which has to be one of the most obscure things they've ever seen fit to put out.

Of course voting is always political in these things and I guess there is no more worthy political cause to vote with at the Oscars than defeating Nazism – but for sure this is why the short won, not just off the quality.Hello. The thing that surprised me the most is reading that it won the Academy Award that year for best animated short – I am now really curious as to what the other nominees were because I struggle with the idea that this was the best the year had to offer. I can understand why Disney kept it out of circulation for so long, since it could have damaged Donald as a character to be seen dressed as a Nazi (albeit to make a point). In this regard it does work and I did find parts of it funny and quite imaginative while the song itself is very good. However it isn't really possible to watch it without the context that this is a propaganda film and this is not only to be expected but is actually the whole point. Watching this film years later is an odd experience because it is a very basic and crude affair if you watch it today it blasts stereotypes and uses nationalistic and racist caricatures in its animations while all the time the visual humor is very much limited to 'look at these suckers' style humor (which is reconfirmed at the end). The plot sees Donald living in Germany, working in an ammunition factory and struggling with the demands from his bosses, the limited rations and other conditions. Within a few seconds that list of 'things you don't expect in a Disney cartoon' got a brand new #1 as I saw the sight of Donald Duck wearing the swastika and living in Nazi Germany! Yes this film is a piece of propaganda based around a Mel Brooks-esque song which spoofs the Nazi party anthem. Curiosity brought me to this Disney cartoon since of all the things you probably don't expect to see in them is a reference to Hitler in the title.

Download donald duck shadow